New England leaf-peeping report: How does weather impact fall foliage

BOSTON — This Columbus Day weekend is a popular one for fall foliage viewing.

By October, we typically see much more vibrant colors than we are seeing right now, so why is that? Boston 25 Meteorologist Vicki Graf says there are a lot of different factors that go into what type of season we're going to have in New England.

TEMPERATURE
Colder temperatures or frost issues, especially early on in the season, affect the number of red leaves that we see. However, if we have a warmer September, there will be a delay in the season - which is what we're experiencing right now.

RAIN
A lot of rain early on can also delay the season. A drought would cause the leaves to turn straight to brown.

WIND
Wind can have an impact on the leaves due to strong gusts taking them off of the trees.

>>Weather points toward vibrant fall colors, says UNH researcher

This year, we had a very warm September (the fourth warmest September in Boston) so we're just starting to see "peak" foliage in northern New England.

We've also seen a lot of rain this year, with Boston seeing above average rainfall.

The good news is we haven't seen too many windy days so the leaves are still on the trees, they're just a little delayed in changing color.

If you're planning on leaf-peeping this weekend and willing to make the trip, you'll find the best color up in northern New England. We're expecting a chilly weekend, which will help those changing colors really burst.

We should see the colors really start changing over in the Boston area in the next few weeks.

Cox Media Group